Blaydon Race

[Roly Mo]

Who's coming out to play for Tynemouth's Blaydon Race next Sunday?  Roly will be there, and the girls are planning on coming too with supplies of hot chocolate for cold sailors.

RM

[Chadders]

Hmm hot chocolate eh?

Squidgy Bits will be playing out too and I understand that Brian Herring is coming up with prizes for Mark n Emma so they must be coming too!!  11am start I am told by Howard S with warm westerly winds and an even warmer meal at the Keelman afterwards

[angus]

Won't be there I'm afraid Not got a boat in sailable condition :(Some would say it hasn't stopped me before . But you will just have to wait till the Scottish Championships to see 3250 with her new coat of paint and more (This ones got gunnels and no worms.... not yet anyway)

[Roly Mo]

Have just heard that Howard Elcock is sailing too, so it's looking like a good start to the season.  Looks like I might be in the Cat unless some miracle occurs in the 'getting the centreboard repaired' department!

The girls are stocking up on hot chocolate and the dogs are looking forward to a muddy walk!

RM

[Roly Mo]

[Roly Mo]

Looks like light (c8mph) NW breeze for Sunday.  The Cheshire Cat is looking better and better . . .
RM

[Roly Mo]

Weather looks fair for Sunday with a gentle westerly which should be ideal for getting us all back afloat for the start of the season.  Metcheck suggests 10 mph at 9am, dropping to 8mph by noon and 7mph by 3pm and sunny too if the weather forecast is to be believed.  Could be just the weather for Brian's Mk4a!
Look forward to seeing you there
Team RM
 

[Lukepiewalker]

Hah!!! You get nane of this with SMODs... the old 'Which of my quiver of hulls should I take'...

[Roly Mo]

A lovely day, enough wind (most of the time) to keep us moving.  Eight 12's on the water, which is a great start to the season.  Philip David/Caroline Clarke won, closely pursued by John and Alison Cheetham.
RM

[Mark (Guest)]

Judging by that post your glass is half full!

[Roly Mo]

Yes my glass is half full.  Here's why!
The sun shone.  There was wind.  There was a good fleet of 8 boats.  No-one capsized.  No-one needed rescuing.  We sailed the race in good company amongst some really pretty scenery.  Ellie came sailing with me afterwards.  The two John's were back in the fleet after time away (great to see you guys, and Alison and James too, back on the water in your 12's!).  The ale was good.
By my reckoning that makes for an excellent Blaydon - in the past we've been faced with no wind or a howling gale, sailed in driving snow, had next to no boats turn up and had people (me being one of them) grounded on mudbanks downstream and needing major rescue.  My expectations have clearly been shaped by what I guess is about 15 years of taking part in this unique event!
My glass is even fuller now I've worked out the results using the class handicaps and found that when calculated that way my lovely old Cheshire Cat would have been 3rd overall!
RM

[Mark (Guest)]

All good points that I completely agree with.  These need to be balanced against the fact that of the 2 hours we spent on the water, probably over half of it was on a relatively short stretch of narrow tree lined river with absolutely no wind.  While on the rest of the course there was a nice gentle breeze blowing all the time.  In my opinion this spoilt what could have been a very enjoyable sail.  I'd much rather feel my boat moving through the water (that is what is it designed to do after all) than be cramped up crouched in the bottom in no wind.  Surely we want make sailing in general and N12 open meetings as appealing as possible to try and encourage new people into the class?
Mark

[Chadders]

True if a bit harsh.  In fairness to the OOD he did say they had been over the entire course and and just pre start there was wind over the entire course area.  I agree with you the narrow bit was bad but thats river sailing for you and hindsight is a wonderful thing. Howard C

[Mark (Guest)]

Perhaps he could have applied hindsight from last year, the year before and the year before that.........

[Roly Mo]

David wasn't the OOD last year, or the year before, or the year before that.  As with all sailing events you pays your money and you takes your chance.  It's also worth remembering that some of us enjoy 'sniddling'. 
RM